Allahabad High Court dismisses petition against Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan is surely relieved today, as the Allahabad High court dismissed the petition that accused him of making a derogatory remark about the holy Quran in a Kaun Banega Crorepati episode about a year and half ago.

A petition had been filed by Mudassir Ullah Khan, who took an exception to the phrase ‘racha gaya’ (composed) in context to the holy Quran in the KBC episode of 28th September, 2011. Mudassir had claimed that the Holy Quran was “neither written nor created by anybody, rather it came into existence/revealed by Allah (God) Himself” and hence the phrase ‘racha gaya’ was derogatory. He also contended that use of such phrases by ‘public figures’ like Big B would ‘affect all communities’.

However, Justice Manoj Misra dismissed this petition as he was in disagreement with it and said that the phrase ‘racha gaya’ does not necessarily mean that the holy Quran has been written by some person. “The phrase can also mean that the Holy Book was composed by Allah Himself,” he added.

Through this petition, Khan had also challenged orders of Chief Judicial Magistrate and District and Sessions Judge of Jhansi, whereby he wanted police officials to lodge an FIR under dealing with hurt caused to religious sentiments, which were turned down. He reportedly submitted that while the District Judge turned it down and termed it as “frivolous and vexatious” besides submitting that no objection was raised by any “school, institution or the Mohammadan community” nor was there any “fatwa” issued against Bachchan.